MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to the leaders of China, India and three ex-Soviet states on Friday in a flurry of calls to temporary them on his contacts with the US concerning the battle in Ukraine.
Putin met U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, after which the Kremlin mentioned a summit between Putin and Trump may happen as early as subsequent week. No venue, date or agenda have been introduced.
Trump, urgent for an finish to the 3-1/2-year battle, had set a deadline that expires on Friday for Russia to conform to peace or face new sanctions on Moscow and international locations that purchase Russian exports. China and India are the largest consumers of Russian oil.
China’s President Xi Jinping instructed Putin in a cellphone name that China is happy to see Russia and the US sustaining contact and enhancing ties to advance a political decision of the Ukraine disaster, Chinese language state broadcaster CCTV mentioned.
China is a serious backer of Russia in its confrontation with the West, in addition to Russia’s largest buying and selling associate. Putin is because of go to China in September for occasions marking the eightieth anniversary of the tip of World Conflict Two.
The Kremlin mentioned that Putin additionally mentioned his talks with Witkoff with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump this week introduced a further 25% tariff on Indian items to penalise New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.
“Had an excellent and detailed dialog with my pal President Putin. I thanked him for sharing the newest developments on Ukraine,” Modi mentioned in a submit on X.
On Thursday Putin spoke with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who expressed South Africa’s “full help to peace initiatives that may finish the battle and contribute to an enduring peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, met Putin in Moscow on Thursday and Putin mentioned the UAE was a doable venue for the Russia-U.S. summit.
Russia, China, India, South Africa and the UAE are all members of the BRICS group of nations which Moscow sees as a counterweight to U.S. political and financial dominance.
Putin on Friday additionally mentioned the result of Witkoff’s go to in calls together with his ally Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, and with the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
(Reporting by Reuters in Moscow; Enhancing by Mark Trevelyan)